Feank s



(No Model.)

I F. S. CRAIG.

BURIAL GASKET FASTENING.

Patented Apr. 26, 1887.

Wa'nesses 5 Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK S. CRAIG, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEV YORK AND BROOKLYN COFFIN COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BURIALQCASKET FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,037, dated April 26, 1887.

Application filed January 28, user. Serial No. 225.808. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK S. CRAIG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Burial-Casket Fastenings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the, accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to burial-caskets and other receptacles provided with a lid, where it is desirable that the fastening should be sure and simple in its action and noiseless and concealed from view. To this end a screweye is securely fastened to the edge of the lid so that it projects downward from the same. A hollow'plate or socket with two inclines, one of easy grade and the other nearly vertical, is sunk into the top edge of one of the sides of the casket. Along the bottom of the longest incline is placed a flat metal spring, so arranged that at its lowest part it is lifted quite a distance above the bed of the incline, and at the same point it is bent downward, and after passing through an opening in the socket it is again bent so that its upper side forms abearing against the screw-eye when the casket is closed. The spring is provided at its lower end witha button or rod for actuating it. Nearly at right angles to the shorter incline of the socket and secured to it is an outwardly-proj ecting pin, approximately parallel with the other incline of the socket and adapted to engage with the screw-eye.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical section and partial outline of the device. Fig. 2 represents a top view of the sunken socket, spring, and button, and the engagingpin; and Fig. 3 represents a vertical transverse section on the plane of the line a; w in Fig. 1.

C represents the side of the casket or box, and B is the lid, which is provided with a screw'eye, D, having a screw, (1, and a projecting eye, (1.

c is a cast socket of metal sunk into the edge of the side C and secured by screws I) and b. Upon the longest incline of c is laid the spring S, bent at s and s and secured by b, and which is passed through the aperture in c at s, and which at this turn is provided with a button, h. The pin P projects from the shorterincline c of the socket c, and is larger at the end nearest the socket than at the point.

The action of the device is obvious. The lid of the casket B being approximately laid upon the upper edges of the sides and engaged at its forward end by dowels or otherwise, it is pushed forward until the screweyes D begin to slide down the incline of the socket 0 upon the spring S. In so doing the spring is depressed so that the part 8' sinks until the point 8 touches the inclined side of the socket-plate. WVhen the point 01 passes the point 8' on the spring S, the latter is released, and, flying up? .ward, securely holds the screw-eye in its place,

whence it cannot be removed, except by using the actuating-button h. The incline 0 serves as a stop to prevent the screw-eye from moving farther forward, and the increase in size of the pin 1? from its point to its base permits a tighter and tighter engagement with the screw-eye, with which it must engage as soon as it begins to slide down the spring and incline. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the lid'is held down securely. To release the lid the spring is depressed by means of the button h, and the screw-eye is slid along up the incline and off the pin P. A piece of cloth or other suitable material attached to the upper side of 8 the spring S makes the device noiseless in its operation.

I am well aware that somewhat similar devices have been invented, whereby hooks on the lid engage with grooved plates sunk into 0 the edge of the casket; but my invention is readily distinguishable from such, the engagement between the screw-eye and the pin being exact and firm and the spring locking the parts together.

What I claim as new is. v

1. A fastening for burial-caskets and the like, consisting of a Socketplate, c, sunk into the top edge of the casket and provided with the catch-spring S and engaging-pin P, the pin :00

being adapted to engage with the eye of a by means, as h, the whole adapted to engage 1o screw-eye, D, secured to the lid. with screw-eyes secured to the lid of the casket. 2. A fastening for burial-caskets and other In testimony whereof I affix my signature 1n receptacles having a lid, consisting of a plate presence of two witnesses. 5 or socket, as 0, sunk into the top edge of the A casket, having one 1ne11ne thereof provlded FRANK S OR IG with an engaging-pin, as 1?, approximately at Vitnesses:

right angles thereto, and having a second in- WM. RAIMOND BAIRD,

cline supporting a catchspring, as S, actuated JAMES OWNER. 

